Do people in Oakland County not know how to drive or is just me?

[CountrySquire]

I commute from an east side suburb to Canton every day and take one of two ways, I 696 to 275, or 75, to Davison, 96 to 275. The route through Wayne County is usually smooth and uneventful; there is only accident delays every couple of months. Whereas the Oakland county route has interruptions from accidents multiple times per week. What gives?

[bartock]

I commute from an east side suburb to Canton every day and take one of two ways, I 696 to 275, or 75, to Davison, 96 to 275. The route through Wayne County is usually smooth and uneventful; there is only accident delays every couple of months. Whereas the Oakland county route has interruptions from accidents multiple times per week. What gives?

So, the thread should be called "do people DRIVING in Oakland County not know how to drive or is just me?"

Generally speaking, I find that nobody in any county that I drive in knows how to drive.

Except me, of course.

[coracle]

Probably in Oakland County they see you coming and scatter into each other trying to get out of the way. Maybe you could do us a favor and keep to your Wayne County route Squire.

[DetroitScooter]

I could say the same thing about Wayne County. What is with the stopping at green lights on Woodward?

[ResurgetCineribus]

People in Oakland County only know how to drive.

[313WX]

I HATE driving in Oakland County, Suburban Wayne County and Macomb County. Just awful. The folks out there are just so impatient and then you have to worry about speed traps. And lets not even discuss the horrid traffic.

Meanwhile Detroit drivers piss me off because they act as if they have no where to go.

[bartock]

People in Oakland County only know how to drive.

Remind me how Wayne County is different? Or, how 1.2 million people living in Wayne County and not the City of Detroit are different? Or, how the City of Detroit is any different?

[Melody]

What is it with people who live in Detroit proper complaining about how people in the suburbs drive? Maybe it's because there is more traffic in the suburbs, and more drivers means more bad drivers?

People drive terribly everywhere, but in my opinion, the worst and most inconsiderate driving is experienced in Hamtramck.

[gazhekwe]

We used to complain about Ontario drivers in the UP.

[ferntruth]

I could say the same thing about Wayne County. What is with the stopping at green lights on Woodward?

No kidding! and when did red lights become optional?

[ResurgetCineribus]

Remind me how Wayne County is different? Or, how 1.2 million people living in Wayne County and not the City of Detroit are different? Or, how the City of Detroit is any different?

They're not. I wasn't denying the situation elsewhere, it's just that the thread was on Oakland County and I was making a joke.

[CountrySquire]

"People drive terribly everywhere, but in my opinion, the worst and most inconsiderate driving is experienced in Hamtramck"

Jeez, know what you mean, seems like there and in SW Detroit that nobody is capable of driving faster then 5 MPH.

[TKshreve]

Oh really?

Often I take gratiot from my house to downtown Detroit. Almost immediately when you pass Eight Mile the drivers take on a different habit. Three lane crossovers, pulling into traffic in front of your 35mph moving vehicle, and worst of all, not utilizing the center turn lane properly. Either it's a launch ramp, or people fail to merge into it before turning. Also, I can't count the number of times I've seen someone throw their Rally's cup straight out the window of their moving vehicle.

It doesn't help when lane markers dissappear, nor do the hundreds of jay walkers not utilizing the proper crosswalks either. It reminds me of mad max.

Has anyone been on the Freeways inside Detroit during weekend, late evening hours? It's quite common to be passed [[in the slow lane) by cars moving in excess of 100 mph. Yeah, if that's the idea of safe I'd prefer to be in danger, thank you.

[JBMcB]

The bad driving habits I see in Oakland seem to be from inexperienced drivers. Not turning on a green arrow, not turning right against a red light, not yielding. The driving habits I see in Detroit seem to be from drivers who just don't care. Making a U-turn into oncoming traffic, turning right from the left turn lane, cruising through red lights with traffic present - the craziest things I've seen drivers do I've seen in Detroit. I used to regularly see cars pull out of Ferry onto northbound Woodward against oncoming traffic to get into the parking structure on the corner. I guess the left turn lane was just too far of a drive - much less going around the block.

[XDetroitr]

I haven't lived in the Detroit area for 25 years. When I return on visits, I've noticed an interesting thing... few people use their turn signals [[compared with drivers in my current home in NJ).
Ironic, since Midwesterns are generally considered more polite than NJ'ers.

[gazhekwe]

Heh, we've decided they must not have paid for the turn signal option. It really seems endemic, not using the turn signal.

[rb336]

People in Oakland County only know how to drive.

yeah, their putting is notoriously awful.

[Scottathew]

I think he might be onto something. I drive from Downtown to 8-Mile everyday and rarely are there ever accidents. But back when I drove 696 to I-75 Crooks exit [[Troy), it seemed like there was a least one or two a month.

[thomprod]

Why do so many drivers feel that they may turn right on a red light [[after slowing down somewhat, if not stopping) without yielding the right-of-way to traffic coming from their left? I was always taught not to turn onto a main street if your car will cause anyone already on that street to slow down or stop because of your turn. In other words, in moderate to heavy traffic, you must wait for a large-enough gap before turning right on a red light. This part of the rule seems to be ignored by many drivers.

[ThisIsForTheHeart]

I know what you mean OP. Oakland seems to have the worst drivers.

I have never had this happen to me in Wayne or Macomb county.

Waiting at red light, car in-front of me does not have their turn signal on. Light turn greens and traffic moves including the car in-front. Well the car slams on its brakes at the green traffic light and puts their turn left turn signal on to turn into their work. HELLO their was only three cars in-front of you at the RED stop light, why not put your blinker on then to let people know to go around you instead of increasing speed like you’re going thru the traffic light.

Second occurrence in the same day, A car decided to turn left in the driving lane instead of getting over in the center turn lane.

Next day, different car and the same thing happen with the turning left in the driving lane with the center lane unoccupied.

[Jimaz]

Since the many reports of distracted driving, I've begun signaling turns earlier just in case it avoids me getting rear-ended by someone on a cell phone. It's just self defense. I've watched people blow through stop signs while on cell phones.

Another habit I've developed is to take the transmission out of reverse to extinguish the white backup lights when I'm about to back into a street where there is traffic. It's a courtesy to the traffic to signal that I am aware of them and so will wait for them to pass. If possible, I'll even roll forward a bit to emphasize the point. Works well when backing out of a parking space too. I wish more people would do this.

Does anyone see any problem with that second point? I've never heard it discussed.

Yes, I am a very cautious driver.

[Zacha341]

Yeah, it's nuts. People either going 30 or 90 on 696! More like 100! LOL!

[Scottathew]

Yeah, it's nuts. People either going 30 or 90 on 696! More like 100! LOL

I have passed an ambulance with lights and sirens on before; it was only doing 80 and I needed 85.

Of course, now that I have a kid I drive differently; I'm not as young and dumb.

[socks_mahoney]

I could say the same thing about Wayne County. What is with the stopping at green lights on Woodward?

I believe we call that too many blunts. Do say, a whole forest of trees.

[Django]

After living on the West coast from San Fran to Seattle and everywhere in between Ive come to love and respect Michigan drivers. Out there they all seem to be driving aimlessly while looking at the scenery. We are the best drivers IMO. The only other drivers I like to ride with are NYC ppl but especially their cabbies. They seem to know how to get shit done. Bangkok wasnt bad either.